Leg support and corner bracket



Jan. 30, 1962 Filed Jan. 7, 1960 F. J. RIEBEL 3,018,526

LEG SUPPORT AND CORNERBRACKET 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Fred J. Riebel OH'torneus Jan. 30, 1962 F, J RIEBEL 3,018,525

LEG SUPPORT AND CORNER BRACKET Filed Jan. 7, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Fred J. Riebel OVfi'ornegs Jan. 30, 1962 F. J. RIEBEL 3,018,526

LEG SUPPORT AND CORNER BRACKET Filed Jan. 7, 1960 5 sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR.

Fred J. Riebel involving cross-braces and the like.

the leg in place.

United States Paten 3,018,526 LEG SUPPORT AND CORNER BRACKET Fred J. Riebel, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Fred Riebel & Company, a partnership Filed Jan. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 1,035 13 Claims. (CI. 20-92) The present invention relates generally to the furniture fabrication field, and more specifically to a leg bracket and its associated construction for use therein. While the invention finds particularly useful employment in corners on sofas, beds, and the like where the construction is normally at right angles, additional angles may be advantageously employed within the spirit and scope of the invention, as will become more apparent as the following description proceeds.

In the construction of furniture heretofore, the corners have been reinforced or aligned by various techniques, some involving gluing blocks in the corner, others With the advent of the peg type leg for attachment to furniture corners,

'the legs being shipped separately from the furniture and screwed into place at the point of installation, additional strength and unusual alignment is required. Many of these units are assembled by the home owner who'does not have the tools nor the necessary skills to properly fit The spindle type legs now used, by their very nature, do not possess that degree of strength and rigidity which the old-fashioned massive type integral leg formerly enjoyed. Breakage, and poor fitting are often experienced in the more economical furniture lines.

In view of the foregoing, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a leg bracket for use in the construction of furniture which permits a standardization of legs, while vastly increasing the strength of the furniture and the attachment of the leg thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide a leg bracket which insures proper alignment of the leg when affixed to the furniture even by the most unskilled purchaser.

Still another advantage of the present invention is achieved through the installation of the unique leg brackalignment as well as proper leg alignment upon assembly.

A further and more detailed object of the present invention is to furnish a leg bracket in which the construction provides for self-adjustment and insures a locking of the leg bolt in place as well as a tight joint between the leg, frame rails and bracket free of lost motion and backlash and incapable of relative undesired movement in normal use.

Yet another object of the invention is achieved by pro viding the furniture manufacturer with a single leg bracket, advantageously formed from a single piece of sheet metal, which will accommodate frame members with varying size dimensions normally experienced in purchasing or working lumber and automatically compensates for dimensional inaccuracies resulting from mass production processes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a leg bracket which transmits side loads uniformly to the related frame members.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description of an illustrative embodiment proceeds, taken in conbled in place.

FIG. 2 is a top view, partially broken, showing an alternative construction in which the illustrative leg bracket is employed at a corner where the intersecting frame members meet at an obtuse angle.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, partially broken, showing an acute intersection of two frame members and a leg bracket employed thereat to join the frame members and receive the removable leg.

FIG. 4 is a partially sectioned, partially broken enlarged view taken along section line 4-4 of FIG. 1 showing a typical leg in its assembled relationship with an illustrative leg bracket joining two frame members at right angles.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, perspective, partially exploded and partially broken view of the leg bracket shown in FIG. 4 illustrating its assembled relationship with the associated frame members and leg.

FIG. 6 is a top view-of the illustrative leg bracket illustrating in phantom lines the opening at the bottom portion to receive the associated leg.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the leg bracket shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the subject leg bracket in the same scale as FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the sheet metal blank from which the subject leg bracket is formed illustrating diagrammatically the center lines along which the metal is ent.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view taken from the lower portion of the subject leg bracket illustrating'its various elements in their perspective relationship to each other.

The environment in which the invention finds its primary utility is illustrated in FIG. 1 where the leg bracket 10 is shown installed in a sofa 11 at its front corner 12. The front corner is defined at the intersection of a front frame member 14 and a side frame member 15, the front and side frame members being normally tied together by means of screws 16. The removable leg 18 (as will be more fully set forth hereinafter) has a bolt 19 extending from its upper end. I

While the principal application of the leg bracket 10 will undoubtedly be at corners of the character-illusfined by frames 24, 25, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the leg 18 might then be advantageously positioned at the intersection 26 of the frame members 24, 25 as shown in FIG. 2. Similarly, where acute angles are employed, such as on a cocktail table or sewing cabinet as illustrated in FIG. 3, the intersecting frame members 28, 29 meet at an intersection 30 which defines an acute angle between the frame members 28, 29. The leg bracket 10, despite the change in angle between the intersecting frame members as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, still serves its useful function of supporting the leg 18, and positioning the frame members in either instance properly and tying the entire ,tegral element free of lost motion or backlash.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the details of construction and assembled relationship between the various elements as illustrated employed in the sofa 11 at a right angle junction of the frame members 14, 15 will be best understood. Referring to FIG. 4 first, it will be seen that the leg 18 has a tapered decorative base terminating in a metallic foot or cup 31. The tapered portion 32 of the leg 18 terminates at its upper end in an annular 3 shoulder 34. Above the annular suppont shoulder 34 is provided an anchor spindle or spacer element 35, the sides of which are of a generally cylindrical configuration, and the upper end of which terminates in a bolt binding face 36. A bolt 19 having a tapered tap portion 38 is fixed centrally in the anchor spindle 35. It is appreciated that other anchoring techniques may be employed for fiixing the bolt 19 Within the anchor spindle 35 than the tapered tap 38 as shown. For example, a bolt 19 of uniform length can be threaded into a tapped hole in the anchor spindle 35 of a diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the threads and the same will hold equally well. Other fasteners are contemplated, and particularly advantageous may be that type of fastener with an expanding base portion which locks the same into position within the anchor spindle 35 so that, in the event twisting or jamming is involved, the bolt 19 will behave as an integral and fixed portion of the anchor spindle 35 for best results.

Referring more specifically to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the leg bracket 10 has as its principal portion a brace portion 39 from which two parallel opposed extensions project, specifically a shelf-like combined leg and rail support 40 and a bolt ledge 41. The leg support 40 and bolt ledge 41 are both integral with the brace portion 39 and folded at generally right angles therewith. A leg support and aligning annular shoulder 42 is provided at a central portion of the leg support 40, and defines and borders a leg anchor receiving hole 44. Immediately above and coaxial with the leg anchor spindle receiving hole 44, is a bolt ledge internally threaded aligning portion 45. The leg support annular shoulder 42 is formed by punching inwardly the material of the leg support 40 bordering the hole 44 to form a cylinder having an outer diameter less than that of the upper surface 34 of the leg. Similarly, the bolt ledge threaded portion 45 may be conveniently formed by punching out the material surrounding the hole in said portion and thereafter tapping with a tap size proportioned to cut the same thread as that employed on the bolt 19.

A pair of brace flanges 46, 48 extend laterally from the ends of the brace portion 39. The brace flanges 46, 48 lie generally in the same plane as the respective converging edges 49, 51 of the bolt ledge 41. The leg support 40, is provided with a plurality of mounting holes 50 along the marginal rail-supporting portion of the leg support 40 which extends beyond the projection of the converging edges 49, 51 of the bolt ledge portion. The extended portion of the leg support 40 is proportioned to generally under-lie the frame members 14, 15 which are intended for employment with the corner bracket. In a successful commercial embodiment, the frame members are approximately three-quarters of an inch thick, and two and five-eighths inches in width. The over-lapping portion of the leg support 40 is slightly in excess of fiveeighths of an inch. Since there is no over-lapping portion or extending portion included in the bolt ledge 41, the converging edges 49, 51 of the bolt ledge 41 abut the inner face of the respective frame members 14, 15, and therefore the location of the frame member being determined by the brace flanges 46, 48, and the extended portions of the leg support 40. Differences in the thickness of the frame members which are normal with kiln dried lumber or other out members are readily accommodated and adjusted for in the construction. By reference to FIG. 6, it will be seen more clearly that the extended portion of the leg support 42 provides a shelf to support the frame members 14, 15, the same being guided and positioned by a combination of the abutting action of the brace flanges 46, 48 and the upper edges 49, 51 of the bolt ledges 41. The parallel relationship between the two supporting members, the leg support 40 and the bolt ledge 41 is best illustrated in FIG. 7. In all of the FIGS. 6, 7, 8, and 9, it will be seen that the concentric alignment of the leg support upstanding annular shoulder 42 and the bolt ledge threaded portion 45 is preserved with a parallel and coplanar relationship maintained between the edges 49, 51 and the inner faces of the brace flanges 46, 48.

Not only is the design of the subject leg bracket 10 one of support, firmness, alignment, and standardization, but as is best illustrated in FIG. 9, the design holds to the irreducible minimum the amount of waste material as the same is punched from strip steel stock in a progressive die. The blank as illustrated in FIG. 9 is first punched, and then the leg support 40 and bolt ledge 41 are folded along their edge portions toward the viewer of the FIG. 9, and the brace flanges 46, 48 are folded away from the viewer into a plane which is parallel with the converging edges 49, 51 of the bolt ledge 41.

The modification of the proportions required for the alternative configurations illustrated in FIGS. 2' and 3 where the angularity of the frame members 24, 25 and 28, 29 diifers will be readily proportioned and generated according to manners best understood in the metal working arts.

In review it will be seen that a leg bracket leg and rail installation has been shown and described in detail which serves a multitude of functions, and the cost of which is held at an irreducible minimum. Not only is the leg bracket 10 useful in its details of construction, but the combination with the leg 18 having the spacer elemeat 35 and the bolt 19 in their proportionate relationships with the bolt binding face 36 and support shoulder 34 also renders the device most useful. When the leg 18 is attached to the bracket 10, the variations in the length of the spacer element 35 are readily accommodated by either pushing the bolt ledge 41 upwardly somewhat out of its parallel relationship, or drawing the bolt ledge 41 downwardly into an abutting relationship with the bolt binding face 36. In either event, the slight distortion to the axial alignment of the screw threads at the bolt ledge threaded portion 45 are such as to accomplish a locking action much the same as though an independent lock washer would be employed.

Lateral stresses such as incurred when furniture is pushed back and forth through a room are spread across the center distance between the bolt ledge threaded portion 45 and the leg support annular shoulder 42 and are transferred to the leg by the spacer element 35. The frame members 14, 15, are in turn securely fixed to the leg bracket 10 by means of the attachment screws 20 through their respective fastening holes 50 where the frame members 14, 15 are fixedly engaged underneath and on their inner portions. This construction is further advantageous, inasmuch as the entire external portion of the frame members 14, 15 is available for the upholsterer to tack the upholstery into place. The central relationship between the leg support annular shoulder 42 and the extending portions of the leg support 40 is such as to place the annular shoulder as close as possible to that portion of the leg support 40 which abuts the inner portion of the frame members 14, 15 to provide for maximum support and an irreducible minimum of deflection of the leg support 40 when in use.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in full here, there is no intention to thereby limit the invention to the details of such embodiment. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative embodiments, usages and equivalents of the leg support and corner bracket as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, specifications and appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A leg bracket comprising, in combination, a brace portion, said brace portion having parallel sides and ends, a fixed support portion extending from one side of said brace portion, a second support portion extending from the other side of said brace portion, each said support portion having converging edges, the first of said support portions extending beyond the projection of the second said support portion, leg alignment means in said first support, internally threaded second leg alignment means in said second support, and flange means extending from the ends of said brace portion.

2. In combination with a corner defined by the mutual intersection of frame members fixedly secured with relation to each other and defining a bottom contour and an interior contour at such corner, a leg bracket comprising:

a brace portion having parallel sides and ends, said brace portion being remotely positioned from said corner,

a fixed support portion extending from one side of said brace portion and positioned to engage said bottom contour,

a second support portion resiliently extending from the other side of said brace portion and having the edges thereof contoured to abut said interior corner,

said fixed support portion extending beyond the pro jection of said second portion,

first leg alignment means in said fixed support,

internally threaded second leg alignment means in said second support,

flange means extending from the ends of said brace portion along interior faces of said frame members,

and fastening means adjacent the edges of said fixed support and flange means extending from the ends of said brace portion along said flange means with said second portion resiliently supported for flexibly responding to displacing forces.

3. A leg bracket comprising an upper shelf-like portion having a straight end and having a threaded opening therein for receiving and aligning a terminally threaded extension of a leg, and a lower shelf-like portion having a straight end and joined integrally to the upper portion, said lower portion having an opening therethrough in vertical alignment with the threaded opening and adapted to align the lower end of the extension element, the remaining edge portions of the upper and lower portions other than the straight ends being free, the upper portion being thereby adapted to bend toward the lower portion when the under surface of the lower portion is forced into tightly pressed engagement with an annular surface of the leg and the element is passed through the opening in the lower portion and screwed into the threaded opening in the upper portion, thereby to form a tight joint free of backlash between the leg and the upper and lower portions, the lower portion extending beyond the upper portion a suflicient distance to provide a platform seating, positioning transversely and supporting the lowermost edge of a furniture rail.

4. The leg bracket of claim 3, the upper portion being substantially triangular, one free edge thereof being adapted frictionally to engage and position laterally the face of one furniture rail, and the other free edge thereof being adapted to engage and position laterally the face of another furniture rail in angular relation to the first mentioned rail.

5. The leg bracket of claim 4, the upper and lower portions each having an outstanding wall bordering the opening therein and pressed out of the material removed to form the opening.

6. A leg bracket comprising a lower shelf-like portion having a circular opening therein, an outstanding cylindrical wall surrounding and bordering the opening, an upper portion joined to the lower portion and having a pair of free edges and an opening therein, a cylindrical outstanding and internally threaded wall surrounding and bordering the opening in the upper portion and arranged coaxially of the first mentioned wall, the free edges of the upper portion converging, each of the marginal edge parts of the lower shelf-like portion having a free edge converging toward the free edge of the other marginal part, said marginal parts projecting outwardly beyond the corresponding free edge of the upper portion and being adapted to engage the under edge of a furniture rail set on the marginal part with a face of said rail engaging said corresponding free edge of the upper portion, the upper portion being adapted to flex toward the lower portion on the tightening of a threaded extension element of a leg in the threaded wall of the upper portion after a shoulder of the leg engages the under face of the lower portion, thereby fixing the leg to the bracket against undesired relative motion.

7. The leg bracket of claim 6, a pair of oppositely disposed flanges arranged in angular relation to each other at the inner extremities of said portions, one of the flanges being coplanar with one of the free edges of the upper portion and the other flange being coplanar with the other free edge, the flange being adapted to engage the face of a rail engaged by the corresponding free edge.

8. A leg and rail installation comprising a frame rail, 5. leg, and a combined leg and rail support, said support comprising a one piece bracket having a lower shelf and an upper shelf joined to the lower shelf, means securing the bracket to a face of the rail, the lower shelf having an extended marginal portion in contact with the under edge of the rail, means securing said marginal portion to the rail, the leg having an annular shoulder in pressed contact with the under surface of the lower shelf, and cooperating combined aligning and securing means for the leg to arrange and normally maintain the shoulder against said under surface of the lower shelf and against uncontrolled relative movement therebetween, said last mentioned means comprising an element projecting upwardly from and coaxially of the leg and past the shoulder and terminating in a threaded portion, the lower shelf having a circular opening for the passage of the element therethrough, the upper shelf having a circular elementengaging and positioning opening therethrough, and an internally threaded cylindrical wall bordering the last mentioned opening and cooperating with the threaded portion of the element to lock the element and the leg to the bracket, the upper shelf being urged toward the lower shelf on the rotation of the leg in the locking direction after the annular shoulder has engaged the under surface of the lower shelf.

9. The installation of claim 8, the lower shelf having an outstanding cylindrical aligning wall bordering the opening and engaging and positioning the element, the element having a outer diameter substantially the same as that of the inner surface of the wall of the lower shelf, the upper shelf being drawn forcibly downwardly by the tightening and locking of the threaded terminal portion of the element in the threaded opening of the upper shelf.

10. The installation of claim 8, the bracket having a brace portion betwen and integrally connecting the corresponding inner edges of the sleevs, the means for securing the brace portion to the rail comprising a flange coplanar with and secured to the inner face of the rail and extending from a side edge of the brace portion, a second rail disposed angularly to and terminating at and in contact with the end portion of the first mentioned rail, and a second flange coplanar with and secured to the inner face of the second rail and extending from the opposite side edge of the brace portion, the upper shelf having a pair of converging side edges in contact throughout the entire lengths thereof with, and positioning, the respective rails.

11. The installation of claim 8, means below the upper shelf and adjacent to and of greater diameter than the threaded portion of the element for limiting the locking movement of the upper shelf toward the lower shelf.

12. A leg and rail installation comprising a first frame rail, a second rail disposed angularly to and terminating at and in contact with the end portion of the first rail, a leg, and a combined leg support and rail support, said support comprising a one piece bracket having a shelf provided with an internally threaded opening, a marginal part of the shelf engaging and positioning the rail, and means securing the bracket to the rail comprising a flange coplanar with the inner face of the rail and arranged at an edge of the bracket, a second flange disposed at another edge of the bracket and coplanar with and secured to the inner face of the second rail, and fastening members passing through the flanges into the rails, the leg having an externally threaded element projecting therefrom axially and screwed into the threaded opening.

13. A leg bracket and leg comprising, in combination, a brace portion having opposed ends and upper and lower side edges, mounting flanges extending from the opposed ends of the brace portion, a leg support shelf extending from the lower side edge of the brace portion, an annular shoulder defining a leg receiving opening in the leg support shelf, a bolt shelf extending from the upper side edge of the brace portion and having a threaded portion on a center coaxial with said opening, the shelves having converging edges, the marginal portions of the leg support shelf extending beyond the bolt shelf whereby intersect- 20 ing frame rails are adapted to abut the edges of the bolt shelf and to rest atop the extended portions of the leg support shelf, the mounting flanges and the extended portions of the leg support shelf having perforations therein for the passage of fasteners therethrough to engage the intersecting frame rails whereby the rails are adapted to be secured to the flanges and the leg support shelf, a leg, a leg annular shoulder on the leg engaging the leg support shelf, a member arranged above the leg annular shoulder and below the bolt shelf and engaging the under face of the bolt shelf, and threaded alignment means at the top of said member coacting with the bolt shelf threaded portion to secure the leg to the bracket.

Zdzieblowski Mar. 15, 1910 Ellenbecker Feb. 24, 1925 

